Secondary school waiting lists

[Zipitydooda]

I wondered whether anyone could answer a question that is confusing me about sec school transfer?

In our area we have several schools that select by lottery. This year many children have not got their first choice of school but are all saying they are not worried because the second round etc will sort it all out. What they mean is that some people who put school A as first choice and school B as second choice got school B in the lottery, some put B as first choice but ended up with A in the lottery. Some got school C which they didn't list at all but are still confident of getting a place at A or B.

I hope that's not too indecipherable! I'm confused as to how exactly this all gets sorted out if in fact it does at all? Surely the places would only move when the few private school pupils turn down places entirely and this is not going to sort everything out.

Some children will go to private school, others will be moving away for other reasons.

As each child moves, a chain reaction starts. A place becomes free at school A, a child allocated school B moves into it, then a child allocated at A moves into B etc etc.

Not sure if this movement will be enough to get everyone their first or second choice. That will depend on the size of the schools and their waiting lists.